Mind Games
by Kellcat
Summary: **Chapter 2- New. **This is a re-write. Chapters 1 & 2 have been greatly improved and subsequent chapters will be completely new. Archer, Hoshi and Malcolm become victims of a sadistic alien's psychological experiments.
1. Disclaimer

Generic Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that are owned by anyone else. (Duh!) I'm just borrowing them, and promise I will return them in as good a shape as I found them. Don't sue me; I am making no money off this!  
  
Summary: Three members of the crew disappear off the bridge while investigating an "abandoned" alien complex and the ship becomes part of a psychological experiment.  
  
Category: Archer, Hoshi and Reed. Rating: PG Feedback: Of course any and all is welcome friedcat@yahoo.com  
  
A/N: This is my first Enterprise fiction and it is a revision of my first attempt that I published on fanfiction in June. The story remains the same but the writing is much improved. I owe my beta-reader, Leah, for this improvement! Thanks Leah! 


	2. First Contact

MIND GAMES  
  
By kellcat  
  
Chapter 1- First Contact  
  
Lt. Malcolm Reed sighed as he looked down at his tactical console. Deep space wasn't as exciting as he had once imagined it would be. It really shouldn't have surprised him, the universe being so vast and containing so relatively few galaxies, but he still hadn't imagined it would be so empty. He glanced around at the rest of the bridge crew and noticed that they all seemed a little bored at the moment too. Well, all except T'Pol. Can Vulcans get bored? His thought was interrupted by T'Pol.  
  
"Captain, I have detected a star system nearby that has a Minshara-class planet." T'Pol said.  
  
The rest of the bridge crew perked up when they heard her report and their new enthusiasm did not escape the Captain.  
  
"Is that so, Sub-Commander?" Archer teased. He glanced around at the expectant faces surrounding him. "Maybe we should investigate. That is if you feel it won't take too much time from all of the other pressing matters we should be attending to."  
  
T'Pol raised an eyebrow, "Sir, I am not aware of any pressing matters."  
  
Hoshi smirked and quickly looked down to her console, hoping the Vulcan didn't see her reaction. She really did hate when people teased, but for some reason when it was directed at T'Pol she couldn't help but enjoy it. Just a little.  
  
Ensign Mayweather couldn't contain his excitement. "Captain, set a course?"  
  
The Captain smiled at his helmsman, remembering being that young and adventurous. Hell - he may not be that young anymore but he was still full of adventure. "Ensign, set a course. Let's do what we're being paid for - let's explore!"  
  
The atmosphere on the bridge drastically changed: it came alive. Crewmen who had once stared dully at their monitors were now full of energy.  
  
"Bring us into orbit, Ensign,"  
  
The image of the planet filled the view screen, but it wasn't anything very impressive. It was dull-looking, with shades of brown and yellow. There was very little surface water and it lacked any real physical features. The entire planet appeared to be a large desert. Mayweather's enthusiasm dipped a little.  
  
"Are you picking up any bio signs on the surface?" the Captain asked.  
  
"No sir." T'Pol responded, "The planet seems to be uninhabited, although I am detecting a series of structures, both above and below the planet's surface."  
  
The Captain looked over to his science officer, "Structures? Like what: complex buildings, or something more primitive?"  
  
"There are ten structures on the surface of varying sizes, six smaller structures encircle a ring of 3 larger ones which in turn encircle one very large structure. They appear to be very complex and made out of an alloy that is not in our database. I am having difficulty getting any kind of detailed scan of the interiors" The Vulcan looked at the Captain, an eyebrow arched, "very intriguing." Archer had to agree with her, a new alloy, something not found in the Vulcan database; this is exactly why he was out here.  
  
"What about the underground structures? Can we scan those?" T'Pol looked back to her station, "Yes, Captain we can. Apparently it is the alloy that is interrupting our ability to scan the surface buildings as there is none found in the underground structures." Archer raised his eyebrows, waiting for more. "There are three underground structures that are located in-between the three middle structures and connected to the center building by a series of tunnels. They appear to be empty and the entire complex appears to be abandoned." That disappointed Archer a bit. He turned to Hoshi and directed her to hail the surface. The Captain tapped the com on his chair, "Trip, why don't you come up to the bridge, we've come across something that you just might find interesting."  
  
"Sir, I am able to read a power signature coming from the largest structure, although I'm unable to scan what is creating it," Reed reported. "I don't recognize the energy source. It's unlike anything we have ever encountered. Sir." Archer's grin spread at the thought of more new discoveries, "The lights are on but no one's home?" he quipped but he did notice the concerned looked etched into his Tactical Officer's face. The grin faded slightly, "Lieutenant, although I don't think we need to be polarizing the hull plating quite yet, keep an eye out."  
  
"Sir, I'm not receiving any response to our hails." Hoshi interjected  
  
The Vulcan raised her eyebrow, "That does not mean that there is no one down there Captain, some species."  
  
"I know," Archer rolled his eyes, "some species don't want visitors." He finished for her. The Captain looked around the bridge and caught Reed's expectant eye. "You ready to check out this mystery, Lieutenant?"  
  
"Of course Sir," Malcolm's reply was characteristically calm and formal. "But might I suggest we run a few more detailed scans before sending an away team down? After all, there certainly could be someone home in those structures."  
  
The Captain took Malcolm's suggestion under consideration, though he knew his Tactical Officer was notoriously overcautious. Before he could respond, Trip came barreling out of the Turbolift. "What's so fascinatin'?" he asked as he approached the Captain. At almost that exact moment, a pulse of light passed through the ship.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Tucker exclaimed as he quickly moved to the Engineering console on the bridge.  
  
Malcolm Reed looked up from his station, "Captain, there are reports coming in from all over the ship. Whatever that was, it wasn't localized."  
  
The Captain moved over to the monitor that T'Pol was looking at, hoping she would have some answers. "T'Pol?"  
  
"It appears that we have just been scanned." She answered without any further explanations. Archer hated when she did that. He didn't feel like playing twenty questions with his Science Officer.  
  
"From where? Is there another ship?"  
  
"Sir, there isn't another ship within 100 parsecs from here." Reed answered for T'Pol.  
  
The Captain was frustrated. Where the hell could the scan have come from? He thought. "Could there be a cloaked ship? Maybe the Suliban?"  
  
T'Pol looked up from her console, "No, sir. It came from the surface." Before she could add anything else Hoshi addressed the Captain.  
  
"Captain, something has gone through our databases." Hoshi said.  
  
Archer glanced over at his Communications Officer but Trip interrupted him before he could get any more details.  
  
"Cap'n" Trip said, "somethin's just read through everything we have on our engines - and I mean everything."  
  
"It's also gone through every database we have, including personnel records, ships' inventories.as well as personal logs." Hoshi added, sounding uncomfortable.  
  
Archer sat down in his chair.  
  
"I'm afraid their examination of our weapons systems was equally as thorough." Malcolm said. "Polarize the hull now, Sir?" he added.  
  
Archer furrowed his brow and looked up at his Tactical Officer, "Yes, Malcolm, I think that's a good idea." He turned to T'Pol, "Can you pinpoint where the scan originated?"  
  
"Yes sir," T'Pol said, "from the largest structure - although I'm still not reading any life signs."  
  
Archer thought through the situation, "It could just be an automated response to any ship in orbit. If the power generator is still functioning after the place was abandoned, it could just be part of a security program..."  
  
"Sir, what if weapons are a part of that security program? We don't know what it would consider hostile." Reed added the rest to Archer's thoughts.  
  
"This might also be a warning from whatever species is down there for you to stay away. They did not respond to your hail." T'Pol said.  
  
Although Trip had just come onto the bridge, T'Pol's pessimism was already getting to him. "And maybe they couldn't understand our hail and this is their way of making first contact?" he snapped at her.  
  
Archer looked over to Tucker but ignored his comment, "Trip, other then the scan of the engineering databases, have the engines been affected?"  
  
Before Trip could answer, a blinding light filled the bridge, disappearing as quickly as it came.  
  
"Jesus, I think I've been blinded!" Trip called out.  
  
As the bridge crew's eyes slowly adjusted from the brilliant flash to the dimmer lighting of the ship, they heard Trip call out again.  
  
"What the hell? My engines have all gone off line." Trip exclaimed looking down at his station, rapidly working the controls trying to get something to work right. "Cap'n, I can't get them back online," he blinked, trying to clear his eyes. There was no reply. "Jon?" he slowly looked up, bewildered.  
  
It was T'Pol's calm voice that responded to the shaken Engineer. "Commander, it appears that the Captain is no longer on the bridge."  
  
Mayweather glanced frantically around the bridge and then over to T'Pol. "Sub-Commander, he's not the only one gone, Hoshi and Lt. Reed are missing too!" 


	3. The Game Begins

A/N: Again, a big thanks to my beta-reader Leah!  
  
Chapter 2: The Game Begins  
  
The Mad'an laboratory was stark, bright white, like the skin of the alien standing in front   
of the view screen. He was tall and thin and his skin hung from his bones like it was too   
big for the frame it was on. The few wiry hairs on his head shot out in no particular   
direction, giving him an unkempt appearance. His long, lanky fingers slowly caressed the   
top of the console to his left. His movements were fluid despite his size and the fact that   
his limbs were slightly too long for his trunk. His yellow eyes narrowed to a point as he   
looked at the ship on the screen. It was a new race to this part of the galaxy and he could   
already feel the excitement brewing within himself. He loved first contact.  
  
"Gaon, the subjects are secure and the ship is under surveillance," a younger but equally   
loose skinned alien addressed his superior. The room was full of these loose skinned   
aliens. They were manning dozens of consoles, scanning the sector in which this planet   
was found. There was no chatter between the aliens as they worked, with the exception of   
brief reports given to their superior. If one knew this race it would have been obvious   
how worn out most of the aliens looked. Worked to the bone.  
  
Even without the insignia on his jacket, the Gaon's presence and attitude made it very   
clear who was in charge of the Mad'an laboratory. The younger members didn't seem to   
have the same confidence as their leader. Burdened with the same body size, they didn't   
move as easily as he did, their arms swinging in an awkward manner when they walked.   
The Mad'an were an ancient people who had long ago stopped exploring the galaxy in   
starships. They had set up laboratories throughout this segment of space to collect   
information on other races, without exposing themselves or their homeworld to intrusion   
from outsiders.   
  
"I want the Mishnee Unit to begin correlating the data from the ship," the Gaon   
continued. "How many life forms are there?"   
  
The subordinate checked his monitor, hoping he responded quickly enough. "There are   
81 human life forms, one Vulcan and one Denobulan."   
  
"A Vulcan? That could be interesting," the Gaon mused, "thank you Segen Kamara."   
  
The Segen was taken aback. Did the Gaon actually thank him? He couldn't dwell on the   
thought for too long, that's how mistakes were made, that's how lives were lost. He stole   
a quick glance at his superior. He was smiling: a horrible, evil smile. The Segen quickly   
turned back to his console that showed the read-out of the ship's complement. He   
couldn't help but feel sorry for them.   
  
The Gaon looked over the incoming data from the ship. A Vulcan, he thought, that could   
make things interesting. A race that suppresses its emotions presented a challenge, but it   
was the challenge that made his job so enjoyable.   
  
He glanced back over to Segen Kamara, his smile growing bigger and more grotesque.   
"So tell me about the three you have selected for me."   
  
***  
  
Trip looked around the room; Travis wasn't mistaken. Not only was the Captain's chair   
empty, but also both Malcolm and Hoshi's stations were abandoned.  
  
"Where the hell did they go?" he asked nobody on particular.  
  
"I've scanned the entire ship, and there's no sign of the Captain, Lieutenant Reed or   
Ensign Sato," reported the Ensign who had stepped up to Reed's tactical station.  
  
"This makes no sense," Trip muttered as he stepped next to the Ensign and examined the   
scans himself.  
  
"I believe I have located our missing crew," T'pol said. She continued looking at her   
instruments.  
  
"Where are they?" Tucker asked as he rushed over to T'Pol's station.  
  
"Beneath the planet's surface,"   
  
Everyone on the bridge looked at the Vulcan.  
  
"Underneath the planet's surface?" Mayweather asked in disbelief. "But how, and why?"  
  
"T'Pol?" Trip asked hesitantly, "Are they alive?"  
  
"Yes, Commander," she replied evenly. "They appear to be in one of the underground   
structures."   
  
"Can we get to them?" Trip asked.  
  
"Yes. "We may be able to reach them using the tunnel system."  
  
"What do you mean, may?" Trip asked. "Let's get a shuttlepod down there and get them   
out!  
  
"We do not know if we can get inside the large structure to access the tunnel system."  
  
Trip looked at her incredulously, "What do you mean? Why not?"  
  
"We do not have enough information to determine if an away party would be successful."   
  
"We'll never know if we don't go down there and try!"  
  
T'Pol attempted to answer but was interrupted.  
  
"I don't understand this." Travis interjected. "This couldn't be part of some automated   
system, could it? Like the probe?" He looked over to T'Pol, "I mean could a computer   
just randomly pluck people off a ship in orbit?"   
  
"I don't think this was random. It did scan both our records and us. If it was an automated   
response, it is quite logical that the scan was identifying which individuals fit a specific   
criteria, possibly depending on the parameters of the computer program."   
  
"I guess that makes sense," Mayweather said softly.  
  
"Nothin' about this makes any sense!" Trip exclaimed. He was about to continue his   
argument for going down to the surface with a rescue team but T'Pol cut him off.  
  
"I agree with you Commander." T'Pol said. "Ensign, as soon as the engines are back on   
line, move us into a higher orbit.  
  
"Now wait a damn minute T'Pol, we're not leaving the Cap'n there just because it   
doesn't make any sense! Let's use the damn transporter!"   
  
"Commander, I am not suggesting we leave anyone, but we are ignoring the most   
obvious explanation." Trip looked at her, anger still in his eyes. She continued, ignoring   
his glare, "The possibility that there really is someone down there is becoming more   
plausible by the minute. Until we better understand what is going on down there, and   
what we are up against, it would be best to move the ship into a safer orbit."  
  
***  
  
The Gaon was pleased with the selection that his Segen had made. These humans would   
be perfect. They were significantly different from each other, two males and a female; a   
range of ages and they were from different locations and cultures on their home world,   
yet they all served together on the same vessel and had similar training. But best of all,   
they each had a reyfon, a frailty, that could be exploited and manipulated for the Gaon's   
personal research. He enjoyed pushing his specimens to their limits, both physically and   
mentally. He smiled as he thought of one remarkably delicious experiment he had   
recently put a Klingon through. Never had he expected any specimen to last as long as   
that Klingon did, and his death was particularly fascinating. The intensity of the   
Klingons' will to live and their desire to be victorious over their enemy was mesmerizing.   
Now, the Gaon wondered, would these humans have the same kind of self-preservation   
as the Klingons?   
  
"Gaon, the other crew have located their missing comrades," a much younger Mad'an   
reported, although he never looked at his superior officer as he spoke. The Gaon had a   
very well-known malicious streak. Even though it was usually directed at his specimens,   
he had been known to release it upon his own crew.   
  
"Yes, I see that, Khanit Liron. Engage shielding, let's see how they react."  
  
***  
The thought that someone may be down there, responsible for taking the Captain and the   
others, made the rescue even more urgent in Trip's mind. Even though he knew how   
much Jon didn't trust the transporter, he was willing to use it if it was their only hope of   
bringing them back safely to the ship. "What about it, T'Pol, let's use the trans-"  
  
Before he was able to finish, the young Ensign at tactical interrupted. "Sub-Commander,   
some kind of energy shield just went up around the largest structure." She looked back   
down to her station, "It's being generated by three of the smaller buildings."  
  
"I guess that leaves us the shuttlepod as the only option." Trip offered, glowering at   
T'Pol before he turned his attention back to the Ensign. "Is there shielding around all the   
buildings?"   
  
"No," the Ensign responded.  
  
"Then I suggest we send down a team to shut down the energy shield, find our way into   
the tunnels and get the Captain and the others the hell out of there." It was more of a   
command then a suggestion.   
  
T'Pol stared at the commander. "This still doesn't prove that the Captain or the others   
are in any immediate danger. The force field could be a continuation of whatever   
program that was initiated when we first came into orbit." His glare didn't relent, and she   
finally acquiesced. "Commander, gather your team," she said. Trip nodded and headed   
for the turbolift. 


End file.
